07/07/07.. The day...

This is more than just a date for me.. Read on:)

All of us have different dreams and ambitions when we are small. Mine ranged from pilot to s/w professional to doctor. But anyway at the right time, during my 12^th std I set my goal and realised I wanted to be a software professional.

When I was small, as I have seen in the movies, getting a job was to follow the usual procedure of applying, getting dressed formally, appearing for an interview in person and getting a job was a big deal. I always used to imagine myself doing something like that later in my life.

But then, when I got into college, companies started coming to college campuses to recruit students as their employees. There was the I T boom and companies were just taking away students in large numbers, so I had my mind set that getting a job in this situation shouldn’t be tough.

Time to enter my final year, my college management comes up with a new decision, of letting only 60 students to be recruited by a company and not more than that. It was a little difficult for all of us who were considering it easy to get placed in the very first company when they take large numbers, to accept that fact it was going to be different for our batch, but then we had to, we didn’t have a choice anyway.

We knew it was not going to be as easy as it used to be when there were bulk recruitments. We had to fight out way through. Placements were starting off from july 1^st week and me, no preparation absolutely. I enjoyed every bit of the semester break. I went off to attend the first company with no hopes, that was on july 2^nd 07. I was like first 60, no chance anyway. Was pretty cool about it, got through aptitude and goofed up in my interview cos I wasn’t prepared for the technical at all. Anyway end of the day, results announced and I didn’t get through. Wasn’t much disappointed cos this was something I expected anyway.

The next company was going to come in another five days. This time I wasn’t as careless as before. I wanted to get into this company for one to many reasons. I should say this company was my dream cos I changed my whole idea of becoming a software engineer only after my sister joined this company. Anyway three days of preparation, I didn’t want to miss out on the chance.

The day: I wore my lucky salwar:)( My friends still tease me about it) Attended the whole pre placement talk with no mood. The aptitude test was going to be right after that. So yeah, you can imagine. The test started and got over in no time. Results were to be announced after a couple of hours. We were happily chatting as usual, not worried about whats going to happen next. Anyway time passes by, and we hear the news that the names of students who got through will be read outside the library.

With a little bit of tension and anxiety we all gathered at the lawn outside the library block in my college. The placement officer had just 5 or 6 sheets. So we knew they hadn’t short listed many. I was standing right at the back of the entire crowd. Me and 2 of my friends there. The officer starts reading out the names. Reads through the 1^st list. None of our names were called out. Goes 2^nd and the 3^rd. One friend of mine was called. Was happy for her and was hoping my name would be called out soon. Then goes the 4^th and the 5^th. No names called yet. He comes to the last sheet on his hand, and I lost hope. I was just telling my friend, oh maybe we aren’t selected. He calls another friend of mine. Got excited for her, and but was still tensed. Three names down the list, the officer calls Soumya Meganathan. Whoa! What a feeling of relief it was. After the allotment of panel numbers We were waiting in a room close to the library waiting for our names to be called out.

The wait was a little long. But we weren’t tensed. Friends stayed back to support us. We were chatting and laughing. I was called a little later compared to my other friends who got short listed. Waiting inside the lib without having to speak a word was a lil tough :D

I was called. Interview was fun. It was a HR interview. No technical so I thoroughly enjoyed talking to the lady who interviewed me:) It was over and I felt I did well. Again the announcement of results takes a long time. We had to stay in college. My college looks so cool in the dark. One of the first few times we got to see college that late. We ate, listened to music, cracked jokes and we were passing time. And then comes the result time.

Again, we had to gather outside the library. The same scenario like before. But this time it was a different feeling. Feeling of whether I had made it or not. This time I should say, I was a lil tensed. The same place, same officer and the same list. But only difference the list had only sixty names. Will i be one among them?? With that question on mind, I was standing there with the rest of the crowd.

The officer started calling out the names. After a few names, he calls Soumya M, for one second I was like whoa! I made it!.. Next second he calls out the register number of a girl who belongs to the IT department. Disappointed again, I was waiting there for him to call out my name. Calls a few more names and I was still hoping I would be called. And after a few more names, there he calls out SOUMYA MEGANATHAN and my register number. Seriously, that moment was just priceless. Was soo happy:) I have no words to explain. This whole policy that my college came up with, definitely made all of us realize the worth of the job and how difficult it is compared to how easy it is when you are one among the bulk. Anyway I’ll never forget that day and never will I get that moment again. It ll always be cherished by me. That awesome day was the 7^th july of 2007, that is 07/07/07. And here I m posting this on 08/08/08. Aint it cool?:P

Guess this is my longest post for now:) Don't know how many of you succeeded in coming to this point:):)